Candy Trash

“Oh no! The candy is in the trash and the trash is in the candy. This is a bad day!” Yes, that’s what she said. I chuckled to myself at the high school girl who looked in the sack of treats only to discover the sack had both candy and empty wrappers mixed together. To her, this was a bad day.

So, what constitutes a bad day for you? Uncooperative hair, running late, stuck in traffic, an argument with a family member, another bill in the mail, spilling something, pouring down rain, a flat tire, burnt toast? Sometimes it only takes that small little thing to set us off on a completely negative tangent for the entire day. Our mood changes, our demeanor changes, and our whole attitude is sometimes thrown off by these inconvenient, discouraging, pesky problems in our path. And at once we declare, either to ourselves or to others who may be listening, “This is a bad day!”

But is it? Is it really a bad day? Or have things just not gone quite according to our plan?

I love the way J.B. Phillips translates James 1:2-3. He writes “When all kinds of trials and temptations crowd into your lives my brothers, don’t resent them as intruders, but welcome them as friends! Realise that they come to test your faith and to produce in you the quality of endurance.”

In essence James is encouraging us to refuse to allow these difficulties to dictate our day. Instead of resenting the bothersome blunders, we should embrace them so our faith will blossom under pressure and teach us true patience as we endure.

So the next time “the candy is in the trash, and the trash is in the candy” (or our hair won’t cooperate, or we burn the toast, etc.), instead of declaring, “This is a bad day,” perhaps we should smile and say something like, “Welcome to my world, my little friend!”

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Oh, hi there!

I am a working mom of toddler twins, wife to a very patient husband, and I strive everyday to cultivate a happy life for my family. Whether it's organizing a fun play area for the kids, cooking a family meal, or planning a date night, I'm always looking for ways to make life simpler so we can enjoy what matters: each other! This is my wish for you all as well. Thank you for being here! Read More…